Known Petroleum Volume on Earth (1997)
Image courtesy of USGS
The graph shows that most of the known petroleum at the time was located in Region 2, which includes the Middle East and northern Africa.
Based on the large volume of petroleum in Region 2, what kind of activity must have occurred there in the past?
A.
Large amounts of carbon dioxide were released into the air and precipitated back down as petroleum.
B.
Flooding in this area resulted in rapid chemical weathering that created petroleum as rocks were broken down.
C.
Large amounts of organic matter were buried and then trapped by underground rock formations to create petroleum reservoirs.
D.
Mass wasting from northern regions resulted in the deposition of underground petroleum reserves.
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The correct answer is:
C. Large amounts of organic matter were buried and then trapped by underground rock formations to create petroleum reservoirs.
This process, known as the formation of petroleum, typically involves the accumulation and burial of organic materials (such as dead plants and marine organisms) in sedimentary environments, followed by heat and pressure transforming this organic material into hydrocarbons over millions of years.
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